Upstream

A bitter beginning The film opens with a shocking blow: Cao Zhilui, an IT manager who has dedicated 11 years to a major tech corporation in Shanghai, is suddenly laid off. At 45, instead of being valued as a core employee, he becomes a casualty of the very optimization system he helped build. This is not just a personal tragedy but also an echo of China's infamous "Curse of 35"-a social stigma that pushes middle-aged workers out of the job market in favor of younger, cheaper, and more energetic labor.

From the office to the streets After countless failed attempts to secure new employment, Zhilui is forced to become a food delivery rider-a job that seems simple but is brutally unforgiving. The film exposes the relentless hardships of this work: constant KPI pressures, unfair customer ratings, climbing endless stairs in high-rises, battling traffic, and even risking road accidents. Despite long hours, his earnings are meager, while his dignity and pride are continuously eroded.

Spoiler Alert - A spiral of tragedy From being a respected manager, father, husband, and son, Zhilui gradually collapses. His father suffers a stroke and becomes bedridden, medical bills drain the family, his diabetes worsens, and the pressure of loans suffocates him. In moments of despair, he lashes out at his wife and even blames his ailing father. One of the film's most haunting scenes shows him trying to force a smile for a company campaign called "Smile Delivery," but what emerges is a twisted, pained grimace-earning him a suspension for failing the target. It is a raw portrait of humiliation and despair, a man crushed under responsibilities he can no longer bear.

Glimmers of light Yet, amidst the darkness, there are sparks of humanity. Fellow riders, gruff but kind-hearted, share advice and survival strategies. His wife, Xiao Ni, remains a pillar of strength-supporting him financially, emotionally, and refusing to abandon him even when he falters. With their encouragement, Zhilui begins to adapt. He uses his IT background to design a route-optimization app, "Master the Roads," which helps delivery workers navigate chaotic city layouts. The app gains recognition from management, seemingly offering him a new future-though at the same time, it hints at another cycle of exploitation, as corporations eye it as a tool to push workers harder.

A mirror to society The film is more than one man's struggle; it is a mirror reflecting the hidden costs of China's rapid digital economy. Workers are reduced to numbers, judged entirely by algorithms and customer ratings. Scenes of bloodied couriers rushing to complete deliveries despite injuries are searing indictments of a system that values efficiency above human dignity. Life Reverse resonates because it speaks for millions of ordinary laborers who are silenced and discarded by the modern workforce.

Flaws While powerful, the film at times leans heavily into tragedy, layering hardship after hardship in a way that may overwhelm viewers. The pacing drags in the middle as repetitive struggles dominate. The ending, in which Zhilui's app is embraced by the corporation, has been divisive: some see it as hopeful, others as a grim sign that exploitation will only intensify. This ambiguity, however, is what gives the film lasting impact.

Conclusion Ni Xing Ren Sheng is a raw, socially charged drama that forces its audience to confront the realities of unemployment, age discrimination, and the precarious gig economy. It is not a film of easy comfort, but one of sharp truths. With a heartbreaking lead performance and unflinching social commentary, it asks: In a society ruled by data and KPIs, how much is a worker's dignity worth? Tragic, urgent, and deeply human, it stands as one of the most significant social realist films in Chinese cinema in recent years.

Beautifully made; all about work-life-what it means to be a family. One of the very few movies recently watched talking about real life and this is one such movie. Life can take any path, unpredictable; despite any challenges faced how one can help oneself bounce back and what it means to be a family to be with you and support you in whatever you wanted to do to stand up again during such times makes life meaningful and and builds the bond which stays stronger. Father Mother Spouse child. This movie captures all the aspects of it, including work, competition, relationship with friends and customers.

As I live in China, I am more than used to the sight of the zippy delivery drivers dressed in yellow either dodging in and out of traffic with their little scooters or hanging out in and around restaurants waiting for their next delivery. The film 'Upstream' is about one such story, a middle-aged man who has lost his job but still has a family and bills (lots of bills) and has to take on a job as a delivery rider for one of Chongqing's biggest food couriers.

The film portrays the difficult nature of the job and dealing with unreasonable customers, hostile traffic and trying to earn more and more money by becoming king of the delivery drivers where our hero 'Gao' needs to be top dog to pay off his mortgage installments.

I really enjoyed it, a good story, funny with characters you can warm to. I think this is one Chinese comedy that can be enjoyed by anyone anywhere. A ten out of ten.

If you have spent more than 2 days even as a tourist in China, chances are good you had a near-miss traffic accident with a "knight" in yellow-clad armour.

This movie gives us a closer look at the overlooked. In China's biggest cities, the yellow "knights" as they are lovingly called buzz around like bees. Always trying to take a shortcut and running a red light to make a quick buck, the service economy runs on poor non-registered workers risking their life for little pay.

Although thoroughly enjoyable, there's two aspects that hold this movie back slightly: first, the performances are good but the wife actress sticks out like a sore thumb. Poorly acted and poorer written still, it takes you out of the story every time she's on screen. Second, there's several parts where the movie really feels like a propaganda piece paid for by Kuai Di companies. Delivering bravely in the rain, to rooftops, to hospitals, all to become the "top driver" and save a kid with leukemia, it actually looks exactly like a popular Kaui Di ad that used to run on Chinese TV.

So it's 4/5 for this delivery.

Kinda realistic with the way they displayed some customers' behaviours. You may say "They won't act like that, etc..." but in reality, I, myself, have encountered such people, and lots of them saw themselves as gods and demanded others to obey them.

The film also successfully emphasised the main subject of each scene, using shades and colours, giving audiences the impression of how harsh the industry is, especially in the first half of the film.

But the largest disadvantage is they didn't go deeper into other side characters, mainly riders, aside from Big Black, Stingie, and Dashan.

One debatable thing is whether riders actually walked in and helped the restaurant owner or not. I would say that 40% of the time, they do, but only if the restaurant is packed with orders. It happens in some countries where people have sympathy for each other.

The last thing is that this is a film created in a country where the delivery industry is rapidly changing and growing, so it just depends on your nationality, and for me, who lives in a country like that, I would say that this film is realistic, giving me an insight into the mechanism of such a powerful industry.